The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Verse. 155. Salvation it far from the wicked▪ because they seek not thy statutes.

Verse. 155. Saluation it farre from the wicked▪ because they seeke not thy statutes.

HE said in the portion going before, they are far from thy law: here he saith, they seek▪ not thy statutes: in which words he expresseth his meaning more plainly. In the former place he saith, they were far from the law; here he confesseth they sought it not at all. His meaning of this verse is thus much: I see their manners are wicked, I know they cannot prosper in them, for thou art the judge of the world, therefore they have no interest to salvation. And why? there is no coherence between wickedness and salvation. If we were in truth persuaded of this, we would not solely in sin. For if we did surely believe that salvation pertaineth to none, but to them that keep a true faith, and therewith labour to join a good conscience, how durst we be so bold Idolaters, so profane swearers, so unreverent breakers of the Sabbath? If blasphemous mouths were throughly persuaded of this, would they not tremble and quake, that now mock and scoff at the ministry, and ministers of the word? we see then how piercing words these are. They that depart from God, by going to wizards, they that go far from his word by changing his holy Sabbath, which is as a day of medicine for the soul, into an hurtful day, the Lord will also depart from them, the Lord will be far from their salvation. All sins wherein men lie and continue, put them far from salvation. But who then shall be saved? even they that labour for faith and a good conscience. Who then shall be damned? they that are far from faith, and seek not Gods law.

HE said in the portion going before, they are farre from thy law: here he saith, they seek▪ not thy statutes: in which words he expresseth his meaning more plainely. In the former place he saith, they were farre from the law; here he confesseth they sought it not at all. His meaning of this verse is thus much: I see their manners are wicked, I know they cannot prosper in them, for thou art the iudge of the world, therfore they haue no interest to saluation. And why? there is no coherence betweene wickednes and saluation. If we were in truth perswaded of this, we would not so ly in sinne. For if we did surely beleeue that saluation pertaineth to none, but to them that keepe a true faith, and therewith labour to ioyne a good conscience, how durst we be so bold Idolaters, so prophane swearers, so vnreuerent breakers of the Sabbath? If blasphemous mouthes were throughly perswaded of this, would they not tremble and quake, that now mocke and scoffe at the ministerie, and ministers of the word? we see then how parcing words these are. They that depart from God, by going to wisards, they that go farre from his word by changing his holy Sabbath, which is as a day of medicine for the soule, into an hurtfull day, the Lord will also depart from them, the Lord will be farre from their saluation. All sinnes wherein men lie and continue, put them far from saluation. But who then shall be saued? euen they that labour for faith and a good conscience. Who then shall be damned? they that are farre from faith, and seeke not Gods law.